Arthritis linked to genetic factors

Genetic factors appear to play a role in the development of arthritis of the knee. Recent studies suggest that the amount of cartilage in the knee, which is influenced by genetic factors, may determine the risk of arthritis.Researchers from the Menzies Centre for Population Health Research in Tasmania, Australia, compared various features of 188 children who had at least one parent with knee arthritis with those of 188 similar children with no family history of knee arthritis. The amount of knee cartilage did not differ between the two groups of children, but the shin bones of children with affected parents displayed more bone area near the knee joint as compared to the bones of children who had no family history of the disease. Children of affected parents had higher body weight for height, more than twice the knee pain, and less lower limb strength than children of unaffected parents. The results suggest that body weight, muscle strength, knee pain, and shinbone area are all genetic factors that influence the development of knee arthritis.